1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to a cable core self-aligning apparatus which aligns a plurality of cable cores, pulled out of a cable's end, in a predetermined order.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
In order to provide wiring inside a device and/or wiring between devices in a computer-based office automation, it is typical that a multicore cable, having a circular cross section, is used as an input/output (I/O) cable, and is attached with a flat connector at its end to be coupled to an associated device.
To attach a flat connector to a cable, it is necessary that the cable cores drawn from the cable's end be aligned in a predetermined order. Specifically, this alignment is done as follows. First, one of the drawn-out cable cores is arbitrarily selected, and its core number is identified, so that the core is aligned at a position corresponding to the identified core number. Then, the next core is selected, and after its core number is identified, it is similarly aligned at a position corresponding to the core number. This is repeated until the last core is aligned at its proper position.
However, this method of identifying and aligning cores one by one is not efficient, but is time-consuming, particularly when the involved cable has a large number of cores.
The inventions disclosed in Japanese Patent Disclosure No. 59-71275 and 59-180684 have been proposed to solve this problem.
The device disclosed in Japanese Patent Disclosure No. 59-71275 comprises:
(A) means for identifying a core number according to a change in electrostatic capacitance of a cable core that is caused by an operator's fingers touching the core;
(B) means for fixing a pressure-welding connector, set on an operation table, to a predetermined state, and positioning a pressure-welding contact of the connector, which corresponds to an identification signal, in such a manner that the contact faces its associated pressure-welding section; and
(C) means for holding the core, cutting the core to a proper length, and inserting the cut end of the core into the pressure-welding contact for pressure-welding.
In this prior art, the insertion of the core end into the pressure-welding section is carried out by an operator.
The device disclosed in Japanese Patent Disclosure No. 59-180684 comprises:
(a) means for aligning and supporting a plurality of cores on a plane;
(b) means for detecting an end of a core using a sensor, providing a separator between the detected core and an adjacent core for their separation, and feeding the separated core to a position where a core conveying means receives the core;
(c) core conveying means for conveying the core from the separated position to an aligning position in a circular movement;
(d) means for receiving the core conveyed by the core conveying means, and cutting the coating of the core to provide electric connection between the core and a core number identifying mechanism, thereby identifying the number of the core;
(e) means for positioning a core-aligning mechanism based on the identified core number, the core-aligning mechanism returning to a reference position for alignment of each core to be ready for the next core;
(f) a core aligning plate having grooves for fixing the respective cores and fixed to the base of the main body of a core aligning device; and
(g) means for controlling temporary stopping of the core conveyance, position adjustment of the core and insertion of the core into an associated groove of the core aligning plate, and fixing the core on the core aligning plate after an unnecessary portion of the core is cut out.
3. Disadvantages of the Prior Art:
The invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Disclosure No. 59-71275 requires manual aligning of cores and does not therefore provide a real self-aligning system. Further, this prior art has a lower productivity such that it is only capable of aligning about seven cores per hour.
The invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Disclosure No. 59-180684 provides a more self-aligning system than the invenion as claimed in Japanese Patent Disclosure No. 59-71275 and therefore has a higher productivity. However, the core-aligning device of Japanese Patent Disclosure No. 59-180684 is complicated and requires its core aligning mechanism returning to a reference position for alignment of each core, thus causing some unnecessary aligning movement.